


Red, White and Blubber

by LadyJaneSlay1554



Category: Metalocalypse (Cartoon)
Genre: Concert, Dynamite, Exploding Whale, F/M, Family Reunions, Gen, Glass blowing, Nategail, Ocean, Oregon - Freeform, Pacific ocean, Romantic Comedy, Vacation, Weird relatives, beach, coast, gelato, whale
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 20:27:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 9,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29124162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyJaneSlay1554/pseuds/LadyJaneSlay1554
Summary: A summer rom-com featuring Nathan and Abigail, the Explosion family reunion, Dethklok's first concert since the dawn of the Doomstar and a very dead whale.Inspired by a similar "whale of an event" that took place in Florence, Oregon in 1970.Work in Progress!
Relationships: Nathan Explosion/Abigail Remeltindtdrinc, Oscar Explosion/Rose Explosion
Comments: 9
Kudos: 6





	1. Pacific Summer

Nathan breathed in the brisk, salty Pacific air. Though it was early July in Oregon, it was barely 70 degrees and Dethklok’s vocalist found it was the perfect weather to walk on a shore so familiar to him. In a few days, (Independence Day), the shores would be filled with his family members, close and distant. The Explosion Family Reunion always took place at Cannon Beach, with the group usually spending most of their time in the vicinity of the picturesque Haystack Rock, so named because the mountainous seaside rocks resembled the farmyard mainstays. And then two days later, Dethklok’s first concert since the events of the Doomstar was to take place at the same location.

Nathan strode in sandals across the cool, dark sands, reflecting. He was looking forward to the celebration and the concert, but he still wanted to enjoy his time before seeing his family and then performing.

But he wasn’t alone on his walk. And by God, was he grateful. He held a smaller hand in his and turned to look into deep, turquoise eyes that reflected the dark waters and the bright crescent moon. His life had changed so much. She caressed his cheek with her free hand and he closed his eyes, leaning into her touch, remembering how they had reconciled and healed.


	2. Stronger Together

After the dawn of the Doomstar, Abigail had given Nathan another chance at starting a friendship with her, mostly given to the fact that he had religiously visited her every day in the Mordhaus hospital as she recovered. He had insisted on carefully escorting the young woman to her myriad of therapy and management transition sessions. Nathan had asked her questions about her days and made an attempt to get to know her as a person. At first, it was hard to listen and retain the information she shared, but the more she opened up, the more he found he liked hearing what she had to say. She even started asking  _ him _ questions about  _ his _ days, his thoughts on songs and the band, and then about his life and past. Even his hopes for the  _ future _ . She knew he was still very much interested in her, though he tried (and succeeded) at being helpful and a good listener rather than obnoxiously affectionate or ham-fistedly flirtatious. The pair realized they had become trusting, good friends and were happy and relaxed with one another’s company. It was clear that they had both changed and gotten stronger.

After she was released from the hospital, Nathan and Abigail shared meals several times a week. Nathan, wanting to challenge his own abilities and pride, learned Abigail’s favorite dishes and how to make them secretly from Jean-Pierre, who was tickled at being a key figure in helping to fan the flames of a budding romance. Nathan didn’t want to crow about his new cooking skills to either his beloved new friend or the band, wanting to try to do good deeds for their own sake. Half of their dinners together Nathan had prepared himself, but he never told Abigail. 

Wanting his new manager and dear friend to feel stronger still and learn a new skill, the vocalist took her to the Mordhaus range and taught her how to shoot both pistols and rifles. Within weeks, she was becoming a better shot than he was! Exactly six months after her rescue from the MMA, Magnus and the Revengencers, Nathan gifted her a matching set of Sig Sauer P365 XL handguns with silver and turquoise inlaid floral grips. Abigail was speechless at the pricey, lethal, thoughtfully decorated gifts. When Nathan asked her if she liked them, she had taken his face in her hands and kissed him even more passionately than on the sub. They had been officially an item ever since – Abigail had dug up the Inter-Office Relationship forms and the two had eagerly filled them out together, sealing the deal with a candlelit dinner, three bottles of red wine (or was it seven?), and a night neither of them remembered too clearly.


	3. Family Matters

Nathan was nervous about how his family would react to Abigail and hoped that they wouldn’t embarrass him or annoy her too much. He could just picture his mother trying (and inevitably failing) to pronounce her last name. Mom would ask Abigail countless questions - likely private and personal and worst yet - personal, private questions about HIM! Dad would tell her endless stories about his wartime or fishing experiences or WWII books he was in the process of reading and not let her get a word in edgewise. His one surviving grandmother, 103 year old Alice, would prattle on and on about her time in the Yannemango tribe. Nathan was sure his little cousins would pester Abigail and want her to play with them and build sandcastles or look at every tidepool on the coastline. His snooty lawyer cousins Tucker and Elliot and their plastic surgery-enhanced trophy wives would be there to look down their noses at him, of course. And their broods of entitled brats with oddly spelled names (Haidyenne, MacEnnzey, Caiyleigh, Briteunn, Peelare, Kholle and Jaiyd) would be there to reject all the food and shriek about their gluten, nut, wheat, egg, dust, tomato and dairy allergies.

But at least his mortician cousin Marie and her forensic investigator husband David were coming - they were always fun to talk to and were never short on gruesome and interesting stories. Nathan’s mother Rose and Marie’s mother Anita were sisters and the cousins had become good friends growing up. Marie had even dated Charles for a bit. Aunt Anita was pretty cool, too. She always drank lots of wine and ended up talking lovingly about Alan Rickman and all of his movie roles. But then there was Aunt Mildred who always pinched everyone! And racist old Uncle Floyd who would no doubt treat Abigail poorly because of her Shoshone American Indian/Black heritage…. And there were all the rest…. Nathan furrowed his brow; this was all just a huge mistake. After all Abigail had been through, she shouldn’t have to endure his weird family.

“Are you okay, Nathan?” Abigail said with concern.

“Oh,” said Nathan, startled out of his worries. He sighed. “D’you really wanna meet my family? This reunion… my relatives can be… uh… a LOT. I just….” the vocalist trailed off, clearly lost for words.

“Nathan. Every family has its share of oddballs. My father came from a whole family of Pentecostals. Every Thanksgiving, we would go to Georgia for a week and Pop-Pop Ebenezer would handle rattlesnakes at church services.”

“Real rattlesnakes?” asked Nathan, eyes wide.

“Mm-hmm. Big ones with giant fangs. Diamondbacks, timber rattlers. Pop-Pop would get up and take about five of them out of their box during hymns and bounce around right by the pulpit. Preacher’s wife would play the tambourine and they’d all hop around and sing right by the altar. He’d swing the snakes back and forth and raise them up and down. It was scary and incredible.”

“Did anyone ever get bitten?”

“I don’t think so. Pop-Pop wasn’t careful with those snakes at all, but for some reason, they seemed to almost… respect him? When they weren’t being used in the church, he just kept them in a glass tank with some newspaper, water, a light and a few heat rocks. Fed them mice once a week. I don’t know if they just didn’t want to bite the hand that fed them or if the Good Lord really was keeping an eye out for the old man. Pop-Pop takes the Bible real literally. There’s a verse in the Book of Mark about taking up serpents as a sign of faith. He fed those things and took them to church every Sunday.”

“God, Abigail. Your Pop-Pop sounds **RIFFING** metal. Is he still alive? Does he still have those snakes?” Nathan was very intrigued. He wished his parents had taken him to such a church growing up instead of the stuffy Lutheran one of his youth. Snakes in church would definitely spice things up.

“He is, actually. Pop-Pop will be 98 this winter.” She bent down to retrieve a rock from the shore and cast it far into the dark waters. She gazed out at the moon over the ocean and smiled as he looked at her. “He’s down to two snakes, but he still hauls them along every Sunday. You know what he named them?”

“Thing One and Thing Two?” Nathan chuckled, wrapping his arms around the young woman. He felt her relax into his embrace.

“Haha! No, but I like that. He named them Lucy and Ricky. “I Love Lucy” was Gammy’s favorite TV show. Lucy even lays a few eggs sometimes, but they never hatch.” She settled into his pecs and pulled his bare, strong arms around her so his hands encircled her waist. She craned her neck up to see him better. “You see? All families have some wild cards in them. And that’s okay. Families are different. People are different. But sometimes, different can be good.”

He kissed her cheek and buried his face into her soft hair, smelling her faint lavender and jasmine perfume. “Mmmmm. We’re different. And it’s been an improvement.” He breathed in deeply again and held her tight to him.


	4. Under the Crescent Moon

They watched the crescent moon over the waters. The Pacific was calm tonight, but they could still see white caps on the waves as the waters rolled into the sand inches from their feet. The sound was transcendent. Nathan felt there was nowhere else he’d rather be and no one else he’d rather be with. They stood together, breathing and heart rates synchronizing as they took in the vast, powerful, mysterious ocean before them.

With a contented sigh, Abigail turned to face Nathan. She brushed the strands of hair away that always eclipsed his right eye, tucking them behind his ear. She kissed him on the lips.

He opened his mouth and deepened the kiss, enjoying how her tongue played over his teeth and flirted with his own tongue. He explored her mouth as she opened wider. Their teeth touched as they drew one another closer still. Nathan’s hands moved to the small of Abigail’s back and the nape of her neck and he shifted to kissing her just below and behind her ears. He took her pearl and sapphire earrings in his lips and played with them gently. She proceeded to sigh into the cooling ocean air. 

Rubbing her ample chest against his and then reaching down to brush her hand lightly against the front top of his grey shorts, she gave him a coy grin as he gave a little grunt of pleasure. “Let’s keep walking and go back to the hotel. Sex on the beach is overated.” With that, she took off running!

Nathan laughed, following her as best he could in his sandals through the surf. He saw her bend to pick up something and was soon met with the sloppy business end of a bull kelp whip. It flopped aggressively against his arm. The vocalist thought it felt like a fish flailing against his bicep.

Abigail was surprised that she could actually wield the kelp like a real whip and hoped she hadn’t gotten Nathan too badly in the arm with the thing. “Ope! Didn’t mean to really get you,” she said with a sheepish laugh.

“You’ve got a hidden talent there, huh? Why didn’t you tell me you were good with a whip?” Nathan asked lustilly. He grabbed her and brought her in for a rough kiss, which she returned in kind. “We’d better get back to that hotel REAL quick.”


	5. A WHALE of a Surprise

They jogged and then ran alongside each other down the shore, laughing and excited to get back to their plush suite half a mile down the coastline. They were soon rounding the largest Haystack Rock when something made them both stop still in shock.

Laying beached on its side, nearly out of the surf, was a massive 50+ foot DEAD WHALE.

Nathan heard Abigail gasp and his eyes caught sight of a massive gash across the whale’s head. Deep burgundy blood stained the sand around the wound. The visible eye was just starting to glaze over in a death stare. Nathan pulled Abigail close into a comforting hug.

The manager choked back tears. “Poor thing. They’re such… such beautiful animals. What a senseless waste of life. Oh, Nathan - that isn’t… that isn’t… YOUR whale, is it?,” she sobbed, tears bursting forth. She tried to collect herself but the sight of the unfortunate cetacean made her cry.

Nathan, still in shock and awe, tried to get a grip. He looked at the whale - the shape of its head and fins, the curve of its mouth, the length of its tail. They were all different from his whale’s features. Thank God it wasn’t his whale. This was a sort of whale he’d never seen in the wild, only in books and online. 

“No, Abigail. That’s real...uh, nice of you to think of my whale. But this isn’t her. She’s a different species altogether. She’s a, uh, a humpback whale and this is… I think they call ‘em sperm whales. Look at the slim, straight lower jaw and teeth. The boxy head. Veronica doesn’t look like that.”

Abigail’s tears stopped and she wiped her face with her hand, then wiped her hand on her grey capris. She sniffed, collecting herself. “Oh, that’s good. Thank Jesus. Still, I feel bad for this poor creature.” She looked at Nathan, an incredulous smile creeping onto her face. “You named your whale... ‘Veronica’?”

“Yeah. It was either that or, uh, Betty. You know, from the Archie comics. I used to read them growing up,'' Nathan said matter-of-factly. He gave her a look that said, “What?”

Abigail shook her head as they started to walk cautiously around the whale. “You’re full of surprises, you know that?”

“Mm-hmm. Uh… thank you,” he said awkwardly as he smiled. “Let’s look around this thing. I’ve never seen a dead whale before.”

“Just a bit, Nathan. The hotel….” Abigail trailed off. She reluctantly followed Nathan as he looked at the big sea creature.

Nathan was fascinated by the whale. He snapped a few pictures from different angles on his Dethfone. As he examined the third picture, he found that he had caught the whale at such an angle that it was right in front of the biggest of the Haystack Rocks. The image looked just like an album cover and his mind began to work out ways that they could incorporate the whale into the concert. They couldn’t stand on it - it would be too slippery and they could sink into it, too. That wouldn’t be good. Hoisting it above the stage seemed like an accident waiting to happen. It would probably be best to have it in its gory best, rotting in front of the stage. It would stop the fans from getting too close.

And then, it occurred to him. The concert was on July 6th, the weekend after the Fourth of July. They could load that whale carcass with fireworks, pyrotechnics, and maybe even some TNT and blow that thing sky high as a grand finale after their encore - “Go Into the Water” would be PERFECT. The audience would love it and it would be an incredible spectacle. Plus, the concert would be recorded on DVD, so the event would be immortalized and he could play back the carnage again and again.

They had walked around the whale twice and Abigail turned to Nathan to see him with a huge smile plastered on his face. “Gah! What are YOU so happy about?”

“Abigail, I have an idea for the concert. You’re, uh, you’re not gonna like it, but just hear me out…..”


	6. First in Glass

It took more than a little persuading and sweet-talking by Nathan on the way back to their room, but Abigail had agreed to let the pyrotechnic whale finale go ahead. Nathan had greased the wheels by generously promising Abigail a few special favors, both of the intimate and shopping spree variety. The manager had to admit, her first big event with Dethklok was sure to be a literal “whale of a blast.” All things considered, there had been more extreme concert events in the bands’ past. After an encouraging late-night phone call with Charles with Nathan by her side, she had swiftly tasked Klokateers with quickly procuring heavy-duty scrims to protect the band from the blast. She ordered the media Gear team to make extra copies of pain waivers (just in case) and to send emails to ticketholders to bring their most resilient umbrellas and/or helmets to the show. More Klokateers had been tasked with amassing fireworks and powerful explosives for the performance. Others were sent to guard the whale to make sure it was neither moved nor tampered with. Abigail had rush orders placed on nose-plugs for the band, all Klokateers and the VIP concert-goers. She debated on ordering ponchos, but this being a Dethklok show, she decided that the more blood, guts and blubber splattered on the audience, the better.

Morning came. It was Nathan and Abigail’s last free day before the Explosion Family Reunion. After a pancake and bacon breakfast, the pair bid the proprietors of The Dark and Stormy (a local high-end spa/resort) a quick goodbye as they set out for a day of exploring the little beach town. They had forgone staying aboard their quarters on the Dethtrain, wanting a change in scenery.

Knowing one of Abigail’s favorite things to collect was artisanal blown glass, Nathan had secretly scheduled an appointment at Sea Glass, a studio in the quaint downtown section of Cannon Beach at which Abigail could design and help to create her very own chalice. 

The young woman was tickled at Nathan’s thoughtfulness. After kissing him on the cheek in thanks, she stepped into the glass blowing studio, tying back her hair as she did. Nathan sat on a viewing bench nearby. He’d always enjoyed discovering how things were made, and he’d never seen anyone create anything from glass before. And if Abigail got to be part of the creative process, so much the better. Plus, if he couldn’t stare at the glass itself, at least he could have fun looking at his beautiful girlfriend.

Abigail’s instructor, a young man named Camden who had a smartly-trimmed beard and chestnut brown hair tied back with a washed out blue bandana on his brow, led her over to the colors she could choose for her chalice. He didn’t seem to know who Abigail or Nathan were. It was nice to retain a bit of anonymity. She picked midnight blue, white, grey, and black glass bits to mix into the goblet. On a heatproof table, Camden spread and mixed the glass bits Abigail had selected. 

Nathan watched as the glassblower extracted molten clear glass from a glowing-hot oven on a blowing rod and helped Abigail to roll it into the glass pieces she’d chosen. Camden then took the rod and continued to heat it. The young artisan helped Abigail shape the chalice and its stem again and again, using stands, tongs and molds to help the process along. They worked quickly together, always trying to keep the glass’s rod in motion. The hot glass had to be reheated in the oven frequently to maintain its malleable nature. It was amazing how the colors melted together and formed wavy shapes in the moving glass as the two worked together to twist it into different shapes. Soon, a clean nozzle was attached to the end of the rod and Camden instructed Abigail to blow into it to form the inside cavity of the chalice. She did so and after some finessing and finishing from Camden (he added a base to the chalice), the drinking vessel was completed and detached from the rod. The young man shook the manager’s hand after he had placed the chalice gently in a glass annealer for finishing.

Nathan got up from the bench and grinned as they stepped back into the shop area of the building. “Nice color choices. Cool process,” he said to Abigail, handing her a tissue from the counter of the register so she could wipe her brow. The studio had been sweltering. He grabbed two for himself and blotted his own glistening forehead.

“Thanks. I was thinking of how beautiful the ocean and the moon looked last night,” she said, grinning and mopping her face. Nathan tucked a dangling dark tendril of Abigail’s hair behind her ear. She gave him a peck on the cheek. Remembering her instructor behind her, she turned to face him. “You did a good job, Camden. Thanks for the fun lesson and for helping me make the chalice.”

“It was my pleasure. You’re more patient and attentive than most guests,” said the glassblower.

“Well, patience is part of my job. Look at who I have to work with!” She gently punched Nathan in the arm, making him chuckle.

Nathan paid and handsomely tipped Camden for the glass, which a Klokateer would pick up the next day.


	7. Cooling Off

Still feeling warm, the two strolled from Sea Glass in search of a cold lunch option. Passing by boutiques, jewelry shops, art galleries, a stationary store and other sundry souvenir-heavy emporiums, then happened upon a sandwich shop that also served homemade gelato. Paying for two sandwiches and drinks from the fridge, they sat on an outside deck that faced the ocean. The cool coastal breeze was refreshingly brisk as they ate their sandwiches. The wind played with their hair, cooling them perfectly after being in the hot studio. The Pacific was a vibrant blue that day, with white caps topping the waves. They could see the big “haystack” mounds on the beach and knew the whale was still behind the largest one. Nathan wondered how many people would see the beached behemoth that day and what they would think of it. He stared out at the coastline, deep in thought.

“…Gelato? Hey, Nathan!” Abigail kicked the vocalist lightly beneath the table, jarring him to attention. “Do you still want gelato? Christopher here says his family makes it all right here, in-house.” She indicated the beaming server; a tall, thin young man with a buzz cut. Clearly a star-struck fan. “Do you know what you’d like to order?”

Quickly putting on his reading glasses and scanning the menu card Abigail pushed at him, Nathan made his choice. “Uhhh, rocky road, double scoop.” He looked at his girlfriend. “Do ya, do y’wanna eat it here or keep walking?”

“Let’s stay for a bit. We don’t get a view like this at Mordhaus, or the train. Two scoops of raspberry for me, Christopher. Thanks,” she said warmly to the young man who nodded cheerily and left, still smiling as if Christmas had come early.

“Pretty sure we’ll see him at the concert,” Abigail said. She took out one of Nathan’s headshots from her backpack. She kept a small stash of CDs and headshots in her bag so Nathan could sign and placate fans if they ran into any. Christopher was working so hard – Nathan imagined she wanted to give him an autographed photo or CD.

“Hand ‘em over,” he said, taking out a metallic Sharpie. “You’re so sweet to the fans, Abigail.”

“Well, we were little fans once, too, right? And you did open the ‘Dethklok Home for Wayward Musicians’ – it feels good to give back a bit, doesn’t it?” She slid a selection of pictures at Nathan as well as a recent CD.

Nathan grinned. “Sure does.” He picked out a photo of himself in full corpse paint, screaming into a microphone. The vocalist looked around to see if their server was coming back. Not yet. Looking to the coastline, he sighed, taking in the fresh air. Abigail followed suit and he held her hand gently. They sat together, enjoying the sight of the shore and the whitecaps on the ocean beyond. It was so nice to get a change of scenery. He wondered where Veronica was out in the ocean.

Soon, Christopher was back with the most beautifully presented gelato the two had ever seen – perfectly scooped, with fresh raspberries and sprigs of mint garnishing Abigail’s dessert, and caramel and hot fudge drizzled over whipped cream, chopped walnuts and tiny chocolate chips on Nathan’s rocky road.

“Looks great. Thanks, uh….” Nathan looked at the young man’s nametag. “Christopher. I take it you’re a fan. I can, uh, sign this, if you want.” He uncapped the silver Sharpie and held it over a corner of the picture.

Christopher was speechless, only gleefully nodding.

Abigail chuckled. “Christopher or Chris?” she asked kindly.

“C-c-Christopher, ma’am,” he managed. He watched as Nathan signed his name on the photo, along with ‘Stay Metal, Christopher,’ at the top.

Nathan handed the photo to the overcome teen, along with his credit card. “Hope t’ see ya at the concert.”

“T-t-thanks so much, Mr. Explosion,” said the waiter. “It’ll be my… my first time seeing Dethklok live.”

“That’s great, Christopher. Thanks for your service today. These look delicious,” said Abigail, turning back to her boyfriend as their young waiter set off, holding Nathan’s credit card and the signed picture like they were precious jewels.

Nathan tried some of his gelato. Delicious. Decadent. Rich. He ought to tell Jean-Pierre about this place. He knew the French chef had been looking for a new assistant in the kitchen. And it would be amazing to have gelato this good at Mordhaus anytime they wanted it.

Nathan savored his dessert, not wanting to wolf it down, despite its deliciousness. The easily-chewed walnuts and chocolate chips complemented the smooth goodness of the caramel-coated whipped cream and rocky road gelato. It really was transcendent – hints of sweetness and saltiness wove their way through the slowly melting, luscious chocolate dessert. He tasted hints of the fudge and caramel toppings. He was convinced this was the best gelato he’d ever had. The vocalist wanted to share it to see if Abigail thought the same. He tapped his spoon on the side of the china bowl. “You wanna try some?”

She took a break from looking at the Pacific and spooned some of Nathan’s dessert up, taking a bit of the whipped cream and walnuts. As soon as she tasted it, her eyes lit up. “Oh, that is goooood! This is rocky road? It’s really rich and creamy. I’ve never tasted gelato like this before. You made a good choice, Nathan. You want some of the raspberry?” She pushed her bowl closer to him.

Nathan nodded, sampling the proffered dessert. It was tasty and refreshing, but not as good as his rocky road. “Mmm, that’s pretty nice.”

“Yours is the best. That’s really… something else,” Abigail said, pointing with her spoon at her boyfriend’s bowl. She took another indulgent spoonful, grinning coyly at him.

“Raspberries and chocolate go well together, don’t they?” he said, watching her enjoy the taste again.

“Mmm, they do.” With her free hand, she held his, caressing his big knuckles with her long, elegant fingers. Venturing down his hand, her iridescent violet-emerald fingernails clicked lightly upon his mat black ones. 

Nathan sighed, enjoying the moment. “Where do ya wanna go next? Just call me, a uh, bag in the wind,” he said to her as they finished their gelato.

“I don’t really know, but we could just walk around. The only thing I really want is a bit of jewelry for my grandmother, mom and sisters. Did you see any places you wanted to go? Any surf shops or things like that?”

Nathan paused, wracking his brain. Abigail was always so thoughtful of her family and he was tickled that she was thinking of shops he wanted to look at, too. “I, uh, haven’t seen anyplace in particular yet, but maybe we’ll find something along the way. You call the shots, Abigail.”

Soon, Christopher was back with the bill and Nathan’s credit card, a big smile on his face. 

Swiftly, Nathan signed the slip, tipping Christopher handsomely. He slid the receipt to the young man along with Dethklok’s newly-released CD. “There ya go. Enjoy and see ya at the concert. Uh, bring noseplugs. And a sturdy umbrella and a helmet.” He grinned, looking down at the table to hide a snigger as he and Abigail got up.

Christopher’s smile turned into a bizarre, confused expression as the two briskly left, barely able to conceal their bursts of laughter at their shared show-business cetacean secret.


	8. Art Imitating Life

Out onto the sidewalk they strode into the quaint heart of Cannon Beach’s downtown area. They passed by stores selling seashells, candles and kitschy souvenirs. Abigail’s eyes fell upon a jewelry shop across the street from the café they’d just visited, and she selected two delicate aquamarine and gold sea-star necklaces for her sisters, Valeria and Claire. At another store, she bought a striking, bold pearl and turquoise necklace made by nearby indigenous Clatsop people for her grandmother. After promising Nathan that the third jewelry store would be the last one they’d visit, Abigail found a sapphire and pearl bracelet for her mother. Remembering that he’d soon see his mother and grandmother at the reunion, Nathan bought matching pearl and coral necklaces for them. The big man didn’t mind tagging along into jewelry stores. Truth be told, when he was a little kid, his mother had taken him to most of these shops. It was a pleasant change to visit them as an adult with his girlfriend. 

The pair poked their heads into an art gallery with life-like paintings of marine animals. Abigail was transfixed by some luminous-looking jellyfish on black backgrounds. Nathan found himself particularly captivated by a large picture of two humpback whales breaching the water’s surface dramatically against a vivid red, orange and marigold sunset. “What do you think of this?” he asked Abigail.

“That’s a beautiful painting,” Abigail said, gasping as she saw it. “Does it remind you of… your friend… Veronica?”

“Yeah, it does. A lot. I’ve been, uh, thinking about her quite a bit today. Where she is out there, if the other whales understand her. If she has a, uh, mate… or a baby. Or both.” He sighed, looking distant. “If I’ll ever see her again.” He gazed at the painting, lost in its images, his memories and his thoughts.

“Does the painting make you happy, Nathan?” asked Abigail gently after a pause, touching his bare arm. 

Nathan didn’t answer immediately. There was still so much that he didn’t know about the supposed “Metalocalypse.” About his powers, awoken by the Doomstar. About his future with Abigail. About everything that the whale had prophesized to him. “It… makes me think. I do like it, though. Seems like it’s almost a prophecy in and of itself.” 

For long minutes, they stared at the painting together.

The gallery attendant approached them hesitantly. He was a slim man in his fifties, with neatly trimmed silver hair and tattoos of whales and sharks up and down his arms. 

Nathan noticed the probable artist had dried paint on his hands. “Your work?” he asked the older fellow.

The painter nodded. “Yessir. I finished that last week. I call it, “Twilight Explosion.”

Nathan’s mouth fell open in shocked delight. “Oh, my God…. That’s… that’s a perfect name!”

“We’ll take it.” Abigail cut in, reading her partner.

“Miss, it’s… it’s… $6,000,” stammered the artist.

“That’s fine,” Abigail said graciously yet firmly, handing the man her Dethklok credit card. The artist stared at the name on the card, then at his two customers, as if realization about whom they were had just dawned on him, then quickly rang the card on his sleek, modern register.

Abigail had not stopped looking at Nathan’s astonished face. She smiled at him and squeezed his arm again. “It’s yours, big guy.”

The artist was back with Abigail’s card. “Your receipt, Miss.” He handed her a pen and her card and receipt on a little clipboard.

Breaking away from looking at Nathan, Abigail acknowledged the artist. “Thank you,” she said politely. “You do very fine work, Mr….” She looked at the signature on the bottom right of the picture. “Mr. Wolfgar. Keep creating – you have a true gift. I’ve never seen my boyfriend so happy to see any art piece! If you can hold it and wrap it for travel here, we’ll send someone to pick it up tomorrow. One of our Klokateers. He’ll be a fellow in a black hood. He may look threatening, but he means you no harm.”

“Yes, Miss. Absolutely. Thank you for stopping in.” He shook Nathan’s and Abigail’s hands. 

Nathan, brought out of his reverie, squeezed the man’s hand heartily as he shook it. “You do… you do good work. Thanks for makin’ such a nice piece. Whales mean a lot to me.”

“Don’t just thank me, thank your lovely lady here,” said Mr. Wolfgar, smiling widely. Two gold glints shone amongst the man’s ivory teeth in the studio lights, making him look a bit like a kindly pirate.

“She’s….” Nathan trailed off, looking at Abigail in elated disbelief. “She’s somethin’ else, isn’t she?” asked the vocalist, grinning as he hugged Abigail tight to him. She laughed and blushed as he gave her a tender kiss on both cheeks.

Abigail grinned as they stepped apart. “Inspiring art for an inspiring man.” She grasped Nathan’s hand and they bid Mr. Wolfgar a thankful goodbye.

The two traipsed about town late into the afternoon, looking into more galleries and a few surf-shops. Still riding on their good moods, the pair used the manager’s Dethklok credit card to purchase wetsuits, surfboards, surfing and SCUBA lessons for Skwisgaar and Toki. They bought tickets to a weekend-long chartered deep-sea fishing excursion for Murderface and Pickles.

Laughing and joking as they headed back to the Dethtrain to change for a dinner for two prepared by Jean-Pierre, Nathan felt more light-hearted than he had in a long time. How… nice… it was to have a girlfriend who genuinely seemed to enjoy spending time with him. He knew he certainly loved spending time with her. He was elated that she had bought “Twilight Explosion” for him – what a meaningful, heart-felt gift. He was sure that every time he looked at it, it would remind him of this vacation. And Veronica. And Abigail. He had never had a relationship with someone who understood him on such a deep level and urged him to speak his feelings. It felt… different. And as they had discussed so often….

Different was nice.


	9. A Return to Fine Dining

After getting back to the Dethtrain, they shared a dinner of one of Jean-Pierre’s specialties: chicken kiev, rice pilaf, organic carrots and green beans almondine with French white wine. It was nice to be back on the Dethtrain – Nathan had missed his chef friend and his incredible cooking. The vocalist was convinced that Jean-Pierre could make even maggoty bread taste good. 

As they ate, Nathan found himself thinking about the ill-fated whale on the beach. His thoughts merged with reflections on food. “D’you think that whale out on the beach could be eaten?” he asked Abigail rather suddenly just as she had begun to chew a forkful of green beans.

The manager’s eyes went wide, and she looked like the gourmet food in her mouth had just turned into craft glue. She managed to swallow and closed her eyes in what looked like exasperated disgust.

“Nathan, is that… is that a REAL question?”

“Yeah, I mean… I bet… I bet the, uh, the indigenous people who used to live here would eat whale… meat. Whale blubber? How long d’you think somethin’ like that could sit out in weather like this and still be, uh, edible?” He shoved a roughly cut piece of chicken kiev into his mouth. His curiosity showed in his eyes as he chewed his meal. 

“I wouldn’t eat THAT particular whale out there,” Abigail said with disgust. “Nathan, you don’t know exactly HOW that whale died.” 

“It had a big, bloody gash on its head. Autopsy complete. Ooooh, good song title idea.” He made a note on his Dethfone.

“Well, Dr. Explosion, that’d be a _necropsy_ for an animal,” Abigail corrected, playfully pointing her fork at Nathan when he was done with the note. “But that’s not the point, big guy. That gash could have come from anything. OR… that whale could have been sick, making it an easy target for whatever attacked it and gave it that wound.” She got another idea, spring-boarding off the prior theories. “Maybe whatever attacked it took that lethal bite –” Abigail took a forkful of steamed carrots and chomped it accordingly. “And was like, ‘NOPE!’ And stopped attacking because it KNEW that whale had something it knew it did NOT want. And it’s already been at least 24 hours since that thing died and laid on the beach for a full summer day.” She drained her wine as Nathan looked at her, mouth agape.

“Wow, I, uh, I didn’t think of all that.” He refilled her glass and then his own. He raised his and toasted her. “To, uh, my beautiful, generous, forgiving and intelligent girlfriend who is the most, uhhh… THOROUGH person I know.”

Abigail raised her glass. “And here’s to my handsome, burly boyfriend; as talented a vocalist as he is a listener.” 

They clinked their glasses together, both smiling and chuckling at the compliments they had been paid. The conversation soon turned to family reunion talk. They’d have breakfast in town with Rose and Oscar Explosion and then head to Haystack Park, which overlooked the scenic beach. Nathan was looking forward to seeing his parents, but no amount of encouragement from Abigail could stop him from being at least a BIT nervous about seeing the rest of his family. But he was glad they had talked about differences in families before.

Settling into their private suite on the DethTrain, the pair held one another and shared tender kisses in bed. Lulled into drowsiness by the wine, they inevitably drifted off to sleep, comforted and reassured by one another’s presence.

Morning arrived and Nathan’s alarm on his DethFone blared to life. “AWAKEN, AWAKEN, AWAKEN, AWAKEN…. TAKE THE LAND THAT MUST BE TAKEN….”

Abigail drowsily pawed for the phone and silenced it. “Uuuugh, big guy. That SONG….” Yawning, she dragged herself out of bed and stood up sleepily, stretching and getting her bearings. 

“That song, uh.…” Nathan yawned, too. “It did its job, didn’t it? You’re up, right?” He stretched in bed and rolled over, about to snuggle into Abigail’s pillow when she snatched it away and brought it down on his head playfully.

“You need to get up, too, Mr. Cuddles.” She tossed the pillow to the far side of their California king bed as Nathan groaned in protest. “I’d look pretty silly going to that reunion without an Explosion. I’m going to take a quick shower.” She leaned down to kiss him, and he pulled her to him, sweeping her off her feet.

As they finished the kiss, he corrected her. “You mean, ‘WE’RE’ going to take a quick shower,” he said, his voice like velvet over rocks, making Abigail tremble in his arms. He knew using that voice always turned her on.

“What are we waiting for?” she purred.


	10. Mom and Dad Explosion

The “quick shower” turned out to be about forty-five minutes and the two eventually stepped out, chilly but satisfied, blushing and clean. They toweled one another off and put on their plush black bathrobes, pleasantly warm from a heated towel rack. Within another half an hour, they were ready to face the Explosions and later, the beach. Nathan wore a dove-grey Lacoste shirt with navy blue board swim shorts and chunky sandals. He slid the gift-wrapped necklaces into his pocket to give to his mother at breakfast and his grandmother at the reunion. 

Abigail wore a two-piece bikini with a turquoise and sky blue paisley design, and a smocked pale teal peasant-style dress with some gladiator sandals that matched her deep brown crossbody purse.

A DethLimo dropped them off at Coastal Café, a nicely decorated breakfast and lunch spot just off Haystack Beach. Rose and Oscar had already procured a corner booth and were looking over their menus, coffees in hand.

Nathan gave Abigail’s hand a squeeze of encouragement as they stepped up to the table and was heartened when the manager pulsed the same action back. She kissed his cheek and he smiled, clearing his throat to announce their presence to his parents. “A-huuhm. Uh, hi Mom. Hey, Dad. Nice t’see ya. This is Ab-”

“Ooooh, ABIGAIL!” Cooed Rose Explosion delightedly, pushing her husband and son out of the way as she got up to embrace the cagy manager. She gave her a big hug, all but crushing poor Abigail’s upper arms to her sides so the only thing the young woman could do was try to lightly pat Mrs. Explosion’s arms. “Aren’t you just STUNNING? Ooooh, Nathan’s told me SO MUCH about you and your times together!!”

Abigail gave Nathan a rather surprised and worried look.

Rose released Abigail from the hug but still held her by the shoulders. “Only good things, dear; don’t worry. We know all about the bands you’ve worked with and how much you’ve helped Dethklok and how happy you make our son. Nathan never runs out of good things to say about you, do you, sweetheart?” She pinched Nathan’s cheek, earning a very embarrassed grumble from her son.

“MOM! You, umm… you REALLY need to NOT do that.”

“Um, well. That’s nice to hear,” Abigail said, torn between chuckling at Nathan’s now very pink cheek and giving him a bemused look. She turned back to Rose, wanting to properly introduce herself. “Now, Mrs. Explosion-”

“Rose! Oh, Abigail, please call me Rose. ‘Mrs. Explosion’ sounds ridiculous!” fussed Nathan’s mother as she shared a hug with her hulking son.

“Well then, Rose. It’s a pleasure to meet you and –” she looked at Oscar. “Shall I call you by your first name, too?”

“Everyone always does,” said Nathan’s father with a warm smile. He shook her hand. “Nice t’ finally meet you, Abigail. I’m Oscar.” 

“Well then. Nice to meet you, too, Oscar. This reunion is a perfect occasion to get to know you and your family. Thank you for inviting me.” 

“It’s our pleasure. Hi, son,” the older man said to Nathan, as they greeted one another with robust hugs.

“Hey, Dad. How’s the fishin’ out in Florida?”

“Real good this time of year. Mom’s gotten tired of frying up all the spotted seatrout I’ve been catching.”

Introductions finished, they settled into the booth, and all were soon busy glancing over the menu. Nathan decided quickly what he’d have and looked out the window to the vast coastline. To his delight, he noticed that he could just make out the edge of the whale’s head by the biggest haystack formation, along with a small group of Klokateers guarding the massive creature. That damn thing was still there **!**

Coffees and teas were poured and refreshed. Nathan and Abigail both ordered waffles, Oscar got a tall stack of pancakes with a side of half a dozen sausage links. Rose sprang for a diet-friendly Mediterranean style omelet with a fruit cup. The food was fresh, delicious and filling.

Thankfully, the awkwardness between Abigail and his parents had all been in Nathan’s head. His girlfriend, gracious listener that she was, nodded, smiled and daintily consumed her waffle as Oscar talked about his fishing adventures and Rose prattled on and on about daily life in Florida. Rose, in turn, asked Abigail about her time with the band before the kidnapping and captivity, how she felt on the sub (Wasn’t it cramped? Did she feel trapped? Did she see any interesting animals deep under water?). She asked about how Abigail felt alone with Toki in that horrible basement and how being rescued felt. She asked how Abigail had stayed strong and how it had felt to get rescued, and how she had come to open her heart to Nathan.

Abigail tried to keep her answers straightforward and to the point. But when she talked about agreeing to be with Nathan, she paused first. Nathan could see she was thinking about the right words to say.

“We had both changed a lot with all of the events of the Doomstar. I used to be aloof, he used to be super-hedonistic and careless. But when he kept coming back to help me to my different therapy and management classes, and he kept asking me about my days, and I could see that he was actually LISTENING to what I had to say… it was touching. I could see the persistence and the effort and thought that he was putting into keeping me in a special part of his life. I started asking him questions about his life, and I think it was nice for him to be able to talk about something other than the band and the usual topics he discussed with the guys. We got to know each other’s pasts – not just the pleasant memories. We told one another our dreams, our fears, our hopes. We’ve seen one another laugh and cry and vent. Every day, he visited and helped me. And we talked. We heard one another. He helped me feel stronger. And valued. And powerful. He let me know that he would protect me, and he showed me ways I can protect myself. Nathan sealed the deal when he gave me these.” She pulled up a picture in her DethFone under her “favorites” folder. Her twin Sigs with the decorated grips, sitting atop a paper target with its fluorescent center riddled with bullet holes. She smiled and showed the photo to Rose and Oscar.

“Hooo, Nathan! You’re dating Annie Oakley, aren’t ya?” exclaimed Oscar.

Rose nodded approvingly. “Ooo, that’s a beautiful story, Abigail. Our Nathan can be very persistent when he sets his mind on what he wants…. Can you seem him blushing?”

“MOM!”

“Oh, shush, Nathan. I’m just stating the obvious. Finish your waffle and let your mother talk.” She turned to Abigail. “You see, sweetie, Nathan really does have a big heart and he goes after people he likes. You’re certainly a beautiful, intelligent, strong, thoughtful, accomplished, confident and talented young woman. I’m very glad Nathan and you are together.” She looked closely at the picture of the Sig Sauer handguns on Abigail’s phone, smiling at the detailed decorations. “Ooooh, those grips match that beautiful necklace you’re wearing, Abigail. Pretty AND powerful, just like you!”

Nathan found himself happily reflecting. The guns _had_ been successful gifts to prove his affection for Abigail. Gifts.... Nathan remembered the present he wanted to give his mother. From his pocket, he produced a sea-green velvet jewelry box. “This is, uh, for you, Mom.”

“Oooh, Nathan!” She opened the box, gasping at the pearl and coral necklace. The gold chain sparkled in the morning light. “Oscar, look what Nathan got me!” She showed off the necklace to her husband, who nodded in approval. “Nathan… you’re turning into quite the thoughtful gift-giver.” She put on the necklace and kissed him on the cheek.

“Mom… stop. Please, we’re in PUBLIC.” He heard a small giggle from Abigail and decided to change his tone. “Well, I’m uhh, glad you like it. I got one just like it for Grandma Alice.”

Breakfast continued. Soon, the check came and Rose slapped Nathan’s hand away when he tried to pay for the meals. “No! This is our reunion treat! Don’t you dare!”

Soon, they left, all piling into the DethLimo to go to Haystack Park.


	11. The Explosion Family Reunion Picnic

It was a short ride, but Oscar and Rose both seemed to enjoy riding in the plush vehicle on the way over. Nathan had to admit, it was nice to have another day go so well. His parents and his girlfriend… manager… well, they were all enjoying themselves and getting along. He hoped the trend would continue through the picnic and beach activities.

The DethLimo pulled into the wooded park’s lot near a shelter festooned with orange, red and yellow balloons and streamers. Nathan could see some of his relatives already firing up a grill. Tables were set with gingham cloths and he could see his grandmother sitting and chatting with Aunt Anita and Marie. Kids were running around and he could hear them shrieking as they played on the nearby jungle gym. He didn’t want to stay more than a few hours and had the feeling Abigail probably wouldn’t either. Sure, reunions were fun, but he could only stand so much of… certain relatives. Maybe midway through, Abigail and he could retreat to the beach and check out the whale again – he couldn’t stop thinking about it. He was so excited about the concert and being able to see it get blown sky-high.

Everyone piled out of the limo, which then drove off to a shady spot in the lot. Nathan didn’t want to have to wait for his ride back to the DethTrain. He invited the driver/bodyguard to hang around, keep watch and grab whatever food he wanted at the cookout. 

Soon, the rest of the families arrived and there was much hob-nobbing and catching up. Nathan let Abigail introduce herself to his relatives, who were all quite polite. They had heard about Abigail in the news numerous times, her being Dethklok’s new manager and all. And Nathan’s new girlfriend to boot. Nathan felt rather protective of her, placing his hand on her shoulder as she made her rounds. After a while, she seemed to get a bit impatient with his position and turned to him. With a straight face that turned into a confident smile, she took his hand from off her shoulder and held it firmly instead. Nathan nodded. This was more suitable.

As he expected, Aunt Anita, her daughter Marie and Marie’s husband David were by far the most polite and interesting. Marie shared a spooky story about embalming late at night in her funeral home and hearing some scary crashing noises in the basement. Being a superstitious Catholic, Marie was very spooked at the noises and wasted no time in calling the police. After searching the building, they found three young opossums, playing and wandering around the unclaimed cremated remains closet. They had apparently crashed in through a screened window in the basement and the young woman had found all three sneezing and playing in some unfortunate’s ashes.

After sharing a few laughs, David left to use the men’s room and Nathan excused himself to get a beer as Marie, Aunt Anita and Abigail chatted about spas and beauty treatments (they were all comparing nail polish colors). 

As Nathan left, Abigail had jokingly called out, “Hey Nathan – you should stick around, too! I know you know a lot about nail polish!” 

He laughed off the jab and snagged a local craft beer from an icy bucket. The vocalist leaned against one of the shelter’s beams, smelling the charcoal grill and gazing out at the coastline beyond the park, seeing if he could spot The Dead Whale.

His cousin Tucker sauntered up to him, smoking a cigarette and clad in a loud Hawaiian shirt, cargo shorts and leather flip-flops. “Hey, big Nathan! How’s it goin’?”

“Doin’ good. How’re you and, uhhh… Melissa and the kids?”

“Ugh. Melissa’s workout classes are driving me crazy and I can’t wait for September so the brats’ll be back in school. Being a work-from-home accountant during the summer sucks.” He took a drag on his cigarette, blowing the smoke in Nathan’s face.

The vocalist frowned and waved the smoke away. “That’s uh, that’s too bad. Melissa always seemed nice to me.”

“Ah, you don’t have t’live with her. She’s a Peloton instructor and she’s constantly braying at her classes. And then there are the influencer videos she shoots for Instagram, and when she’s finally out of the house, she’s blowing all this money on her “days with the girls” three times a week and I’m left workin’ from home and payin’ all the bills and watchin’ the kids since it’s summer. Don’t ever get any time to myself. Do yourself a favor, man. Don’t settle down.” Another drag. Tucker gestured at Abigail. “This chick, Abby – Amy…? That Indian chick that you’re with? She’s just your latest groupie for the week in Oregon, right? She looks like a hot piece of ass now, but you’re a rockstar, right? Keep the turnover high, y’know what I mean?” He took another deep drag, a smirk on his face.

Nathan glared at Tucker as he downed his beer and let loose. “I DO know what you mean, you pathetic, whiny little shit-stain. And I don’t like it. Abigail’s survived Hell on earth and she’s the strongest, smartest and the most amazing person I know. I don’t care that you and I are related; if you DARE say ANYTHING against my girlfriend again, I’ll make sure you end up like this.” Single handedly, he crumpled the near-empty beer can right in front of his cousin’s face. Dark leftover drops of beer dripped from his fist, looking like aged blood.

Tucker’s eyes teared up and he gagged, choking on his cigarette in his panic. He tripped over himself and hobbled away, trying to recover as he wheezed and leaned against an open garbage can.

Nathan got himself another craft beer and three mini bottles of white wine and strode back to Abigail, Marie and Anita. “Cheers, ladies,” he said as he handed them out.

“Nathan, you look flustered. Is everything alright?” Abigail asked, sounding concerned as she accepted the wine.

“I’m fine. Just putting one of my cousins in his place,” said Nathan as he looked at Tucker, who was still spluttering by the trash can. 

“Oh? What made you do that?” asked Marie. She followed Nathan’s gaze. “Oh, it’s Tucker. Was it a racist comment? Or yapping about the NRA and FOX News? Or was he insulting women or minorities?”

“I take it he isn’t your favorite cousin,” observed Abigail wryly.

“He’s a lazy, racist bigot. He and his brother Elliot. They always picked on Nathan and me when we were growing up. Didn’t like that we were different. Now they’re both accountants and work from home and think they can say anything to anyone. They’re just a pair of douchebags.”

Nathan cast a dark look back at Tucker, who was ambling to his feet, car keys in hand. Melissa and the children had gathered nearby, looking like they were going to leave. The kids whined about going so soon and not getting any lunch. Nathan decided he’d spare Abigail a rehash of his and Tucker’s conversation. She didn’t need to hear it. 

He turned back to the women to see that David had joined them, beer and a bottle of water in hand. Marie handed her wine to her mother and clasped her husband’s hand. Aunt Anita smiled knowingly.

“Let’s change the subject. Um, Nathan… do you see how my mom has two little bottles of wine now? Well, I won’t be having any wine for a while. David and I… well, we’re expecting,” she said, rubbing her stomach.

“WHOA! Congratulations! That’s great!” exclaimed the vocalist. 

“It IS great! How wonderful for all of you,” said Abigail warmly, raising her bottle. Anita, David and Nathan followed suit, clinking their drinks together.

“Yep! We think around the end of October is when we’ll meet our little stranger,” said David, rubbing Marie’s belly and giving her the bottle of water. “We’re really excited, and we’re moving into a bigger place next month.”

“Of course you are! Gotta have room for all of the little ones who’ll be sure to follow! Oooo, and I can’t wait to be a grandma!” Aunt Anita said, beaming. She took a queen-sized gulp of her moscato wine.

“Ssshh, Mom! We’re only telling a few people at a time.” Worry crossed Marie’s young face. “We don’t want to cause a fuss too soon. We’ve been trying and trying to… well. There’s been a lot of heartbreak along the way, but it seems like a sure thing now. This has been huge for us. But we want you to keep this to yourselves for now, okay?”

The happy conversation continued as the group got to know one another and even throw some baby name ideas around. Soon, they moved over by the grill and got some burgers and brats from Uncle Floyd, who tipped his worn Smith & Wesson cap to all of the ladies. The beer-bellied man wore an orange and grey striped polo shirt, blue baggy jean shorts and tennis shoes that looked to be over a decade old. He winked at Abigail, which caused the manager to giggle.

“Hooo, hey there, missy. You sure don’t look like you’re from around here. What’s a pretty lady like you doin’ with a caveman like my nephew?” Nathan’s uncle said with another wink.

“Uncle Floyd, uuuh, this is my girlfriend, Abigail.”

Abigail nodded curtly to Nathan, wanting to state her title, too. “Yes. I’m also Dethklok’s new manager. What’s your name, or should I just call you, ‘Chef?’”

“Chef! Haha, I like that! Chef Floyd, at yer service, miss! I’m this big guy’s uncle. You’ve got some big jobs on yer hands, Miss Abby!” He looked at her chest.

“Abigail. My name is Abigail.”

“Oh, sorry.” 

Nathan noticed that he didn’t look like he meant it. 

Floyd flipped the dozen burgers on the grill. “Abigail. Where’re you from? Looks like you spend all day in the sun – are you sure you’re _really_ a manager?” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Nathan, where’d ya find this pretty little piece of – OOWW! OUCH!”

Abigail gasped in indignation that quickly turned to shock as she saw Nathan put a muscular arm across the older man’s shoulders, making Floyd’s belly come in contact with the edge of the hot grill.

“Oh, Nathan, stop it! Let him up! Don’t hurt him on account of me! NATHAN!”

Nathan relented. “I’m sorry, Abigail – I just, uuuh… didn’t like the way he was talking about you. Or looking at you.”

A small crowd began to gather, drawn by the commotion.

“I should hope you ARE sorry,” Floyd said, dusting himself off and glaring at Nathan and Abigail. His voice sounded hoarse and gruff. “I was only foolin’ around… you know me.”

But Nathan wanted to set his uncle straight in his own way. “I don’t think so. You insulted Abigail. You’re the second person to not take her seriously and belittle her.” He turned to his gathered relatives. He decided to make a statement and stood on a picnic bench. “This is Abigail Remeltintdrinc, and she is…” he paused, looking at his beloved.

She smiled at him and took his hand. He helped her up to stand next to him. 

“And she is the talented and accomplished manager of Dethklok. She is a strong, giving, resilient, forgiving, incredible, beautiful person and I am damn fortunate to call her my girlfriend.”

There was a pause and Nathan and Abigail looked all around. From near the back of the shelter, they heard a fork strike a glass bottle. Aunt Anita, well on her way to being three sheets to the wind, shrieked, “KISS!!” More clinking followed and the pair on the picnic bench shrugged and gladly did as they were told.


End file.
